Theresa May rules out Norway-style plan B, as minister admits no-deal Brexit would not be a 'walk in the park' - as it happened

Liam Fox says no-deal Brexit wouldn't be a 'walk in the park'

A no-deal Brexit wouldn't be a "disaster" but would also not be a "walk in the park", according to the cabinet minister Liam Fox who has offered his lukewarm backing for Theresa May's agreement.

The international trade secretary said the prime minister's deal offered the right "balance", but added he did not "for a second pretend to be enthusiastic" about the backstop - put in place as an insurance policy to prevent a hard border in Ireland.

The remarks from the prominent Brexiteer came as Ms May arrived in Buenos Aires for the G20 summit alongside other world leaders, including Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and the Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Before her scheduled meeting with the crown prince on Friday evening, the prime minister defended her decision to hold talks with the Saudi ruler, despite accusations he ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

“I’m intending to speak with the crown prince of Saudi Arabia,” she told reporters ahead of landing in Argentina.

“The message that I will give will be the message that we have consistently given on this issue, but also on the issue of Yemen.

“In relation to Mr Khashoggi, we want to see a full and transparent investigation in relation to what happened and those responsible held to account."

This liveblog is now closed, but you can see how the day's events unfolded above

Key Points

• No deal or 'no Brexit at all' if MPs reject Theresa May's agreement, says EU president
• ...as cabinet minister Liam Fox offers lukewarm backing for PM's Brexit deal in radio interview
• PM arrives in Argentina alongside world leaders for G20 summit
• ... as she rejects Norway-style Brexit floated by colleagues

[30 November 2018 08:54 · Ashley Cowburn]

International trade secretary, Liam Fox, has said a no-deal Brexit would not be a "disaster" for Britain, but would also not be a "walk in the park". 

Offering his lukewarm support for Theresa May's deal, he said it offered the right "balance" , but added he did not "for a second pretend to be enthusiastic" about the backstop - put in place as an insurance policy to prevent a hard border in Ireland." 

Asked about a recent analysis from both the Bank of England and the Treasury, the cabinet minister said:  "I think the reaction to some of the Treasury analysis has been completely overblown... I think people have not understood, and I have to say the media have been somewhat responsible for this, they didn't understand the difference between forecasts and scenarios and they are fundamentally different.

On the Bank of England's worst-case scenarios of a no-deal Brexit - claiming house prices could drop by over a third, and the economy shrink - he added: "I don't agree with some of the ways in which the picture has been calculated, but as I say, those who were making these scenarios were very clear they were not forecasts.

When asked about the prospect of the deal passing Parliament when MPs are asked to vote on 11 December, Mr Fox told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think the Prime Minister is changing public mood; if you look at what is happening with polling there's clearly a shift there."

Pressed that it was MPs who Mrs May needed to convince, he replied: "Members of Parliament need to make decisions for themselves, but they have to compare this particular deal against the alternatives.

"Those who don't want us to leave the EU without a deal need to consider that this would increase the chance of that."

[30 November 2018 09:15 · Ashley Cowburn]

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/liam-fox-theresa-may-brexit-deal-latest-eu-trade-secretary-brussels-a8659906.html

Prominent Brexiteer Liam Fox will attack opponents of Theresa May’s Brexitdeal on Friday, as he publicly rows behind the arrangement the prime minister has agreed with the EU.

International trade secretary Dr Fox is set to accuse critics of failing to face up to the tough choices and compromises needed to reach an agreement with Brussels.

The public display of support from the minister, who was involved in the Vote Leave campaign, is a further boost for the PM, after fellow cabinet Brexiteer Andrea Leadsom weighed behind her deal on Thursday.

[30 November 2018 09:22 · Ashley Cowburn]

[30 November 2018 09:36 · Ashley Cowburn]

[30 November 2018 09:43 · Ashley Cowburn]

On Thursday evening, Hilary Benn, the chair of the Commons Brexit committee, tabled an amendment to the meaningful vote motion, aimed at preventing a no-deal Brexit.  It has received cross-party backing and the senior Tory MPs Sarah Wollaston and Dominic Grieve are behind it. 

Mr Benn tweeted: "It opposes the deal, rejects a no-deal Brexit and would enable the House to express its view about what should happen next if the PM's deal is defeated.

"It would do this by allowing amendments to be tabled to the motion that the Government would have to put before the Commons under the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018."

[30 November 2018 09:53 · Ashley Cowburn]

[30 November 2018 10:17 · Ashley Cowburn]

[30 November 2018 10:29 · Ashley Cowburn]

This is from the pollsters YouGov, who have published their latest test of Westminster voting intention. 

[30 November 2018 10:48 · Ashley Cowburn]

[30 November 2018 11:00 · Ashley Cowburn]

Theresa May has remained defiant over her Brexit plans despite the increasing likelihood of it being voted down in the Commons on 11 December.  Some of her own backbenchers - such as Nick Boles - have suggested she should instead negotiate a "Norway plus" Brexit that they believe could command a majority in the chamber.

This would involve membership of the European Economic Area (EEA) and agreeing a negotiated customs union with the EU.

But speaking to reporters reporters onboard the RAF Voyager before landing in Buenos Aires, Ms May rejected the idea. “I’ve been very clear about my position, we won’t be in the customs union," she said.

“What you see in the political declaration is what would be a deal for the United Kingdom that is not Norway, it is not Canada, it is a more ambitious free trade agreement than Canada, and it ends free movement – which Norway doesn’t do.”